20 (or so) questions on how Charles Ek works
This series of posts was inspired by Lifehacker’s How I Work series, which I’ve been reading for quite some time and thoroughly enjoy. It’s about time we discover how our colleagues work and get to know them a little better.
If you want to participate in this fun series, send us an email at info@linguagreca.com so we can send you the Word template where you can fill in your answers and your bio (incl. your site/blog/social media links) and then send it back to us as an attachment along with your photo (optional but preferred). If you don’t like any of the questions, just delete them and add your own. You can read the previous interviews here.
Location: I’m in Brussels now, but I am from Padua (Italy).
Desired location: This is easy: Santo Domingo. I really need a vacation.
Current work title: Translator
Desired work title: Stress-free Translator (it sounds really appealing, doesn’t it?)
Languages you have studied or currently speak: I mainly work with English, French and Italian (native). I also studied Spanish and speak some Hebrew, my family second language.
The project you’re most proud of: My book Balance Your Words. It took me a while to write and publish it, but I am glad I did it because it was well received, people thanked me for inspiring and motivating them. They sent me emails, told me they could relate to my experiences and thoughts, or that it introduced them to the use of social media and marketing.
Your current computer setup: Mac and Windows, two desks.
Do you own a smartphone? Yes, a Samsung Note II
Favorite time of the day: I am a bit of a night owl (or little pink night bird, you choose! :)) so I have to say that I love to write, work and even exercise at night.
Favorite gadget (apart from computer & smartphone): My iPod: the perfect running and gym companion. I can’t exercise without music, the perks of being a dancer! But when it comes to events and working on-the-go, my Note II is unbeatable!
Next conference/event you’re planning to attend: I have just penciled three trade-shows in a row (we are talking about October). Clients’ research starts where your potential clients gather, right? So I have decided to network a bit more locally in order to explore new options and enrich my clients’ base. On the other hand, I suppose that my next translator’s conference will be Budapest 2014, are you coming?
How many hours per day do you usually work: 8-9, but recently I have been working about 10 hours per day. It really varies according to the time of the year and projects/translations.
Are you an introvert or an extrovert? I am an extrovert, but I’d rather have a glass of wine with a friend then go to a party packed with people I don’t like.
Are you an early-riser or a night-owl? Night owl. As I said I don’t particularly like early mornings. But being a freelancer and a pet mama equals welcoming the sun early in the morning (around 6 am). A benefit? You learn to make the best out of a walk in the park, to enjoy an almost empty gym, to write and translate when the world is sleeping.
What do you listen to while you work? Even if I love music, I like to “dive in” what I am doing without interruptions or distractions, so I don’t listen to music when I am translating or writing. My “wild side” is at its best when dancing or exercising! 🙂
And a few non-work related questions to get more personal.
Your babies or pets, incl. names and ages: Pepe (male, dog, 4) and Tigger (male, cat, 7): aka ‘the secretary’ and ‘the intern’.
Next city/country you want to visit: Portugal
Favorite vacation place: Los Angeles, CA
Favorite book: I’ve got three: J. C. Oates’s ‘Little bird of heaven’, H. Roth’s ‘Call it Sleep’ and S. Gruen’s ‘Water for Elephants’.
Favorite song: ‘Dangerous’ (M. Jackson). But I really like Joan Baez and intense female voices, as well. I have been dancing professionally…so, as you can imagine, choosing one song is not easy!
What are you currently reading? J. Weiner’s ‘Fly away home’ and W. Chan Kim’s ‘The blue ocean strategy’.
Author bio
Sara Colombo is a qualified translator (En-Fr-Sp-It) with 6 years of experience within the marketing (transcreation), media, business and IT fields. A marketer at heart, she loves her business, blogging, is a fitness instructor and a yoga addict. To get in touch, visit her new Facebook page or find her on Twitter (@sc_translations). Oh, and remember to #balanceyourwords, every day.
About the author
Catherine Christaki has been a full-time English-Greek translator since 2001 and co-owner of Lingua Greca Translations since 2012. She specializes in Information Technology, Medical, and Technical texts and loves writing for the Adventures in Technical Translation blog. She regularly shares her experience and insight on social media and blogging for translators, giving interviews and presenting at conferences. Connect with her on Twitter @LinguaGreca.
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I’m really loving your pink glasses, Sara. And I’m glad we have another extrovert among us.
Yes to these glasses! They are perfect with your branding colours 😉 It’s nice to know you’re also a night owl. 🙂